The objective of the proposed research is to gain information regarding the pathways involved in Alcohol Metabolism and alterations which might occur in these pathways in chronic alcoholism. In particular, the role of catalase in ethanol and methanol metabolism will be assessed. The interaction of this pathway with the more active alcohol dehydrogenase will be studied by use of specific activators and inhibitors. Studies relating to the mechanism of catalase action will be carried out with the isolated purified enzyme, with fractions rich in peroxisomes, in isolated perfused organs, and in vivo. Because methods developed in this laboratory are amenable to the non-destruction read- out of biochemical information from intact organs in vivo, the overall research plan and ultimate goals are more closely allied to a direct application to problems of alcoholism than would be feasible with more restricted biochemical and biophysical techniques.